Abstract

The shortage of irrigation water at the tail reaches of Doho Rice Irrigation Scheme especially in the dry season has resulted in decreased rice production. At Doho Rice Irrigation Scheme, water distribution follows a predetermined rotation system where allocated supplies are unknown and the farmer decides how much water they divert to their plot. This has resulted in water inequalities between the tail end and head end blocks of the scheme. The main objective of the study was to develop a water allocation model for equitable distribution of irrigation water taking into account crop growth stages. This study developed an equitable water allocation model by ensuring that the crop water requirements per block are matched with the available supply in the main canal. A water delivery scheduling model was developed to help deliver the decadal irrigation water requirements by grouping different blocks together. The water allocation model gives required irrigation supplies and recommended supplies depending on the crop growth stage and acreage per block. The results from the water delivery scheduling model suggest a 2 days of irrigation per week for the land preparation, development and late seasons and 3 days of irrigation per decade during the high consumptive stages of initial and midseason stages of rice development.

Highlights

  • Water development and irrigation are necessary to increase food security and to reduce the variability of food production in most food-deficit countries [1]

  • As the world population increases, the demand for food is increasing exponentially which calls for sustainable water resources and irrigation development [2]

  • Rice is the main crop grown at Doho Rice Irrigation Scheme with a gross area of 2500 acres of which only 2380 Acres are cultivated and the 120 Acres is covered by some irrigation infrastructure like farm roads, embankment, water conveyance channels, and b210l99 ridges

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Summary

Introduction

Water development and irrigation are necessary to increase food security and to reduce the variability of food production in most food-deficit countries [1]. As the world population increases, the demand for food is increasing exponentially which calls for sustainable water resources and irrigation development [2]. Despite of the high quantity of rainfall experienced in Uganda, there is wide spatial and temporal variability [3]. This has resulted into flooding of irrigation schemes and water scarcity during the rain and dry seasons respectively. This has a prolonged effect on the farming communities in Uganda since water shortages are widely spread in most parts of the country causing severe yield reduction and often total crop failure [4]

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